معرفی
Lynda Jessup is a Professor of Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies in the Department of Film and Media at Queen's University. She is cross-appointed with the Cultural Studies program and currently serves as Vice Dean (2021–present) for the Faculty of Arts and Science, overseeing faculty relations across 30 departments. From 2014–2021, she held the role of Associate Dean and previously directed the interdisciplinary Cultural Studies graduate program (2009–2014).
As a historian of visual culture, Jessup’s research interrogates the Western system of meaning that defines canonical “Canadian art,” focusing on exhibitions, museums, and art historiography. Her current work expands into cultural diplomacy, exploring state-sponsored art exhibitions as tools for managing national narratives and advancing Canadian foreign policy. She leads the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative (NACDI) and has secured significant funding, including a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (2019–2025).
Jessup’s recent publications, including Cultural Diplomacy as Critical Practice (2021) and Players: We Are All Practitioners (2023), analyze cultural diplomacy’s role in international relations. Her upcoming Policies as Discourse (2025) further examines policy frameworks. These works emphasize keywords like cultural authority, decolonization, and international collaboration across subfields such as postcolonial diplomacy and policy analysis.
Scientific awards include the
- UAAC Recognition Award (2018)
- Fulbright Scholar (2010–11)
- SSHRC-funded research summits
- Queen’s University Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching (1998)
As Director of NACDI, Jessup leads an international team to bridge academia and cultural practitioners, fostering dialogue between cultural sector professionals and diplomacy scholars. Her leadership in research networks and policy reports underscores her influence in redefining cultural diplomacy as a critical practice.
